For skin and face
Its linoleic acid, an omega-6 the skin uses for its protective barrier, nourishes dry skin and helps keep it supple. It absorbs quickly and leaves a light, non-greasy feel.
Plant oilMoroccan heritage
Prickly pear seed oil
The prickly pear a cactus of the Aït Baâmrane hills.
Its fruit juicy flesh dotted with seeds.
The seeds tiny, hard, cold-pressed.
The oil a few drops, rare and precious.
INCI · OPUNTIA FICUS-INDICA SEED OILCreate my prickly pear range
- INCI name
- OPUNTIA FICUS-INDICA SEED OIL
- Other names
- Prickly pear oil, barbary fig seed oil, cactus seed oil
- Family
- Plant oil
- Origin
- Opuntia ficus-indica, grown in Morocco (Aït Baâmrane, Sidi Ifni)
- Part used
- Fruit seeds, cold-pressed
- Areas
- Face, eye area, body, lips, hair
In brief
Prickly pear seed oil in 30 seconds
By the Carmel Cosmetics Labs R&D team · updated October 2, 2026
- INCI nameOPUNTIA FICUS-INDICA SEED OIL
- Also calledprickly pear oil, barbary fig seed oil, cactus seed oil
- For the facenourishes the skin and helps keep it supple, with a light feel
- Compositionabout 60% linoleic acid (omega-6) plus tocopherols (vitamin E)
- Why so expensivecold-pressed, the seeds yield only 6 to 7% of their weight in oil
( A )WHAT IT IS
What is prickly pear seed oil?
Prickly pear seed oil, also called barbary fig seed oil, is a plant oil cold-pressed from the seeds of the fruit of Opuntia ficus-indica, the prickly pear cactus. Rich in linoleic acid (omega-6) and tocopherols, mainly gamma-tocopherol, it is used in cosmetics in face and eye-area care to nourish the skin and help keep it supple.
Values for a cold-pressed Moroccan oil (scientific literature, cited by the FAO). Depending on origin, linoleic acid ranges from about 58 to 73%; each batch's certificate of analysis is the reference.
Seed oil vs macerate vs argan: the difference
Seed oil
Fruit seeds, cold-pressed. A pure oil, golden yellow with green glints, a single INCI ingredient. This is the one in our formulas.
Prickly pear macerate
Flowers or fruit infused in another, often cheaper oil. The INCI list then starts with that carrier oil: it is not seed oil.
Argan oil
Richer in oleic acid (about 45%), with a more nourishing feel. Prickly pear seed oil, at about 61% omega-6, is lighter: the two are often combined.
( B )ITS BENEFITS
01 02 03
Prickly pear seed oil benefits for skin and face
In anti-aging care
Neat as a face oil or blended into a night cream, it makes skin look suppler and feel more comfortable. It is one of the most sought-after oils in premium skincare and eye-area care.
For the formula
Naturally rich in tocopherols, mainly gamma-tocopherol, antioxidants that help protect its unsaturated fatty acids against oxidation.
How to use prickly pear seed oil
- Face
Two to three drops in the evening on clean skin, alone or mixed with your cream.
- Eye area
One drop spread with the ring finger, patting gently, without rubbing.
- Body and lips
On dry areas, or in a lip balm combined with shea butter.
( C )IN OUR PRODUCTS
Launch your prickly pear seed oil range
Pure oil, rich cream, overnight mask or hair oil blended with argan: choose a category to see the formulas ready to carry your brand.
( D )FORMULATOR NOTES
How we formulate it
What our formulators take into account when prickly pear seed oil goes into your product.
- 01Prone to oxidation
Rich in omega-6, it needs an antioxidant and an opaque or airless bottle, even though its tocopherols partly protect it.
- 02Seeds, not macerate
We use cold-pressed seed oil and list it clearly in the INCI list: OPUNTIA FICUS-INDICA SEED OIL.
- 03A precious oil
Neat as a face oil, or blended with argan in an oil or a cream: the dosage is decided with you based on the range's positioning.
- 04An origin story
Its Moroccan origin can be highlighted on the packaging, provided it is documented in the product file.
Did you know?
A cactus that became a symbol of southern Morocco
- 1770
This is the date the FAO gives for the introduction of the prickly pear to Morocco. Native to Mexico, it is now everywhere in the landscape.
- Over 50%
The Guelmim-Sidi Ifni region accounts for more than half of Morocco's cactus area, according to the FAO.
- 2011
The "Figue de Barbarie d'Aït Baâmrane" (Aït Baâmrane prickly pear) is recognized as a geographical indication by order of the Minister of Agriculture.
Prickly pear seed oil: your questions
A prickly pear seed oil project?Our product specialist answers you on WhatsApp.Message us on WhatsApp
What are the benefits of prickly pear seed oil?
Rich in linoleic acid (omega-6) and tocopherols, it nourishes dry skin, helps keep it supple and leaves a light feel. It is found mainly in face oils, night creams and eye-area care.
How do you use prickly pear seed oil on your face?
In the evening, two to three drops on clean skin, neat or mixed with your cream. On the eye area, a single drop is enough, patted on gently. Do a patch test on a small area before first use.
Why is prickly pear seed oil so expensive?
Because of its yield. The seeds make up only about 15% of the edible part of the fruit, and cold pressing extracts only 6 to 7% of their weight in oil, according to the FAO. It takes a very large quantity of fruit to obtain one liter of pure oil.
Are prickly pear oil and prickly pear seed oil the same thing?
Yes, when it is a pure oil: prickly pear oil is always extracted from the seeds. Watch out, however, for macerates, flowers or fruit infused in another oil, sold under a similar name.
What is OPUNTIA FICUS-INDICA SEED OIL?
It is the INCI name of prickly pear seed oil, listed in the EU CosIng database as an emollient. A pure oil contains only this ingredient in its INCI list.
Prickly pear seed oil or argan oil: which one should you choose?
Argan, richer in oleic acid, is more nourishing; prickly pear, at about 61% linoleic acid, is lighter and more precious. They often complement each other in the same face or hair oil.
Can I create a prickly pear seed oil range with Carmel Cosmetics Labs?
Yes. We use it in our white label formulas (pure oils, creams, masks, lip balms, hair oils) or in an exclusive private label formula, all manufactured in our factory in Aït Melloul, Morocco.
Sources
- FAO, Crop ecology, cultivation and uses of cactus pear (2017)
- Zine S., Gharby S., El Hadek M., Physicochemical Characterization of Opuntia ficus-indica Seed Oil from Morocco, Biosci Biotech Res Asia (2013)
- Order No. 1926-11 of June 24, 2011, geographical indication "Figue de Barbarie d'Aït Baâmrane" (FAOLEX)
- European Commission, CosIng database: OPUNTIA FICUS-INDICA SEED OIL
Your prickly pear seed oil range, formulated in Morocco
Send your brief: we formulate and manufacture in our ISO 22716 factory in Aït Melloul, southern Morocco. Free consultation and a selection of formulas, with no commitment.